EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Armand Coleman is the boisterous leader and executive director of TPP. He has over a decade of experience developing and leading Restorative Justice (RJ) programming, and does so with his unique spirit, unmistakable laugh, and deep passion. Armand was first introduced to RJ while incarcerated and found himself deeply moved by restorative practice and its impact on his own healing. He used his RJ experience a a catalyst to create additional programming around vulnerability and healing, including founding the Youthful Offender Coalition (YOC) for those who were sentenced to life in prison under the age of 18, and co-founding Men Exploring Their Own Obstacles (METOO) which addressed toxic masculinity, rape culture, and sexism. He is one of the original co-founders of the Transformational Prison Project (TPP), and has been one of the central forces in expanding the program beyond prison walls and into the community. In his role as Executive Director of TPP, Armand prioritizes creating a workspace and community that honors lived-experience, centers compassion, and prioritizes wellness.
Having spent 28 years in prison himself, with 10 of those years in solitary confinement, Armand knows firsthand the physical, mental, and emotional toll that incarceration takes on individuals and the way that impact ripples out into their communities. He also has the distinctive perspective of having been sentenced to life in prison as a child, and works tirelessly to advocate for others who have been incarcerated as children, with a specific focus on storytelling and policy advocacy. Outside of his work with TPP, Armand collaborates and partners with a number of local and national RJ organizations to further uplift RJ philosophy and ideology.
Having spent 28 years in prison himself, with 10 of those years in solitary confinement, Armand knows firsthand the physical, mental, and emotional toll that incarceration takes on individuals and the way that impact ripples out into their communities. He also has the distinctive perspective of having been sentenced to life in prison as a child, and works tirelessly to advocate for others who have been incarcerated as children, with a specific focus on storytelling and policy advocacy. Outside of his work with TPP, Armand collaborates and partners with a number of local and national RJ organizations to further uplift RJ philosophy and ideology.